Car-seal



J. F. GETTY;

GAR'SEAL.

(No Model.)

NIT'ED STATES PATENT O FICE.

JOHN F. GETTY, OF DAVIS, WEST VIRGINIA.

CAR-SEAL.

SIECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 535,755, dated March 12, 189 5.

Application filed December 29, 1894:. Serial No. 533,285. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN F. GETTY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Davis, in the county of Tucker and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Seals; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My said invention consists in an improved construction and arrangement of parts of a carol-baggage seal, whereby a seal is provided wh1ch,wl1ile being inexpensive and simple in structure, is very secure for the purpose intended, convenient to use and easily operated, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Iteferring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar arts, Figure l is a side elevation of one of my lmproved seals as it appears when in use; Fig. 2, a View of the reverseside of the body thereof; Fig. 3, a central longitudinal section through the body of the seal showing the shackle and key engaged as when in use; Fig. 4, a similar view showing the internal formation more plainly, the shackle being omitted and the key shown in dotted lines only in the position it occupies before sealing; Fig. 5,a view of the key separately; Fig. 6, a view of the shackle separately; Fig. 7, a view showing one end of the shackle molded in the body of the seal, which body is also shown of a modified form, and Fig.8, aview of a modified form of key which may be used when preferred.

In said drawings the portions marked A represent the body of the seal, B the key, and C the shackle.

The seal body, A, may, as will be readily understood, be of the substantially rectangular form shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, or the circular form shown in Fig. 7, or of any other form desired. It is formed with a vertical aperture, at, extending from its top to within a short distance of its bottom of a suitable size to receive the loops on the ends of the shackle, C, and with a longitudinal aperture, at, extending from one of its ends in to intercept and cross the aperture, a. Said aperture, a, is of a size to just receive the key,

B, and has notches, a and a formed in its edge walls with which said key engages, as will be presently described. Said body, A, is preferably molded from metal, glass, clay or any other material desired and found suitable.

The key, B, is adapted to slide in the aperture or key-way, a, in the body of the seal.

It is provided with a spring finger or catch, 6, which extends outwardly from its opposite edges (or from one edge only, if preferred) toward the outer end of said key, and engages with the notch, (1 before sealing, as indicated by dotted linesin Fig. 4, andwith the notches, 0. when sealed, as shown in Fig. 3. While I regard the form of key shown in Fig. 5,fortned of wire, as very desirable for the purpose, yet, as will be readily understood, it might be formed of wood or metal, as shown in Fig. 8 Whatever form is used, however, the outer end, I), is formed to correspond in size and shape to the size and shape of the mouth of the aperture, (1, so as to fill and completely close said mouth when the operation of sealing has been completed, thereby effectually preventing any tampering with said seal by the insertion of any tool, without mutilating and destroying the seal.

The shackle, O, is preferably of wire as usual, and may be free from the body of the seal with a loop on each end, as shown in Fig. 6, or one of its ends may be molded in the body of the seal as shown in Fig. 7, with a single loop on its free end. Flat wire with perforated instead of looped ends would, of course, be the full equivalent of that shown.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the name of the road using the seal, the name of the place where used, the number of the'seal, and any other brief memoranda or registry matter may be placed upon the faces of the body of the seal, either when molded, or in any manner desired.

In operation the key, B, is first inserted in the aperture, a, until the catch, 19, engages the notch, 0. the shackle, (3, having been engaged with the car fastening, its looped portion is inserted in the vertical aperture until the loop or perforation registers with the lon gitudinal aperture, a, when the key is pushed in until the catches, b, engage the notches, a its inner end passing through said loop to beyond the aperture, (1'. The catches, b, spring tersecting transverse aperture with notchesin its edge walls, a key formed Withspring catches on its edges adapted to be inserted in said transverse aperture and said catches to engage said notches, and a shackle with its ends looped and adapted to be inserted in said vertical aperture, substantially as set forth.

2. A car seal, composed of a body provided with intersecting apertures, a shackle with its ends adapted to be inserted in one of said apertures, and a key adapted to be inserted in the other of said apertures and engage with said shackle, said key being provided with spring catches which engage with notches in Walls of said aperture, whereby it is secured in place, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a car or baggage seal, of the body, A, formed with the aperture, a, and the aperture, a, with notches, a and a in its edge walls, the key, B, having spring catches, b, and the shackle, 0, adapted to be inserted in said aperture, a, and be engaged by said key when inserted in said aperture, a, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JNO. F. GETTY.

\Vitnesses:

H. A. MEYER, O. E. SMITH. 

